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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29716674">A Final Goodbye</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lowkeytoxicstan/pseuds/lowkeytoxicstan'>lowkeytoxicstan</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Bittersweet, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Modern Era, One Shot, Sad Ending, Zutara Angst Challenge, confused feelings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:27:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>552</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29716674</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lowkeytoxicstan/pseuds/lowkeytoxicstan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>His bedsheets tangled around them felt peaceful, a brief happiness before the darkness overtook them.<br/>Zuko closed his eyes with his hands on her hair, he didn’t want to see her leave.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Katara &amp; Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Final Goodbye</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this is something I wrote during history class, it's not a lot but I hope you enjoy :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Maybe in some other life, in another universe they could have been happy.<br/>Katara knew this, and so did he.<br/>Is it ever too late to try again?<br/>Perhaps this time it is.</p>
<p>Katara tries to memorize the warmth of his chest, rising and falling as she rests on it.<br/>the burn mark on his face glowing with the golden light of the sun.<br/>he stole looks and so did she, they talked and just tried to capture the moment, like a photograph.<br/>she knew this would be the last time she ever saw him.<br/>His bedsheets tangled around them felt peaceful, a brief happiness before the darkness overtook them.<br/>Zuko closed his eyes with his hands on her hair, he didn’t want to see her leave.<br/>He thought back to all their times together:</p>
<p>The time he walked past a restaurant, saw her and sat with her, giving birth to their brief Monday lunch traditions.</p>
<p>The time she called him late at night and he sat with her in a poorly lit garden underneath a blanket with her head on his shoulder, offering her comfort.</p>
<p>He would travel the world if it meant seeing her happy.</p>
<p>The time she disappeared, leaving him drunk and alone, passed out on his couch.</p>
<p>The first time she smiled at him, so simple, so beautiful.</p>
<p>All the times she came back to him, </p>
<p>back home.</p>
<p>Katara slides out of bed, she’s confused and hurting, she can’t be what he needs.<br/>She hasn’t been honest, not in a while at least.<br/>Silently, she puts her clothes on but before she opens his bedroom door she looks at him,<br/>his warm body laying on the bed, his eyes are now open, looking at her.</p>
<p>They stay like that for a while, just trying to make sure they’ll remember each other.</p>
<p>Katara wishes she could stay, but she’s promised to another. <br/>She can’t ever be Zuko’s.<br/>Although she feels as if she has always been.<br/>The corner of her mouth twitches and she says, almost in a whisper <br/>“I’m sorry, I have to go”.</p>
<p>Her eyes are foggy from unshed tears of a romance that could never be.<br/>“Until next time?” <br/>he asks in a sad, raspy voice. His eyes shine with a glimmer of hope.<br/>She sighs and looks down “Zuko i-“ she chokes on her words as tears crumble down her face <br/>“I don’t think so.” she manages to say so softly she’s surprised he heard her.</p>
<p>His face is struck with pain, they’ve been doing this little dance for three years, and now it’s over.<br/>It’s really over.<br/>He sits up on the bed and looks at the ground, trying to control the emotions that are boiling inside of him like an erupting volcano. <br/>she doesn’t even love the man she’s with, he thinks, why can’t she be with me instead?</p>
<p>Katara doesn’t move, doesn’t look up, her head bowed in shame. <br/>The room is quiet, a sad, uncomfortable silence that is broken with the sound of light, almost scared footsteps.<br/>Suddenly Katara feels the warmth of his hug, he smells like happiness and he feels like a summer evening at the beach, so calming, so meant to be.</p>
<p>They stay in this embrace for a long time, knowing this would be their final goodbye.</p>
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